This invention relates to a dispensing unit for dispensing a beverage, such as water or the like and, in particular, to a controlling unit included in the dispensing unit for controlling dispensation of the beverage.
Various dispensing units of this type are already known. For example, a dispensing unit as a post-mix beverage dispenser is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,493,441 and 4,688,701 issued to Jason K. Sedam et al and assigned to The Coca-Cola Company. As will presently be described, the dispensing unit comprises a cabinet, a water reservoir, a cooling unit, a conducting unit, and a controlling unit which are fixedly assembled to a cabinet.
The water reservoir is for storing an original beverage, namely, drinking water and may therefore be called a storing unit. The cooling unit is combined with the storing unit for cooling the original beverage therein The original beverage is sent from the storing unit towards the controlling unit through the conducting unit.
It is advantageous that the beverage dispenser can be placed in a limited space, and therefore the cabinet may be compact. However, it is difficult to supply the original beverage into the storing unit of such a compact dispenser.
Such a controlling unit is disclosed in Japanese U.M. Publication No. 51-18189 issued to Fukuo Mochizuki. The controlling unit comprises a body defining a beverage path which is connected to the above-mentioned conducting unit. The beverage path is provided with a valve member and an adjusting member. The valve member is for controlling the opening and closing of the beverage path. The adjusting member is for changing a cross-sectional area of the beverage path to adjust a flow rate of the beverage in the beverage path.
The valve member is connected to an operating member which is placed on a front surface of the body. When the operating member is operated by an operator or a user, the valve member is driven to open the beverage path. As a result, the above-mentioned mixed beverage is discharged from the controlling unit.
The adjusting member has an operating end which is exposed on a rear surface of the body to be operable for adjusting the flow rate. However, it is difficult and inconvenient for the operator to operate the adjusting member because the cabinet covers the rear surface of the body together with the operating end of the adjusting member.